How to judge others
Judge not
Matthew 7:1–5 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 3 Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. [NET2]
Romans 2:1–5 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! [NET2]
If you’re judging someone, be ready to be judged and condemned by God! We don’t want that, do we? I’ve come across this often — I’ve fallen terribly in the same areas in which I’ve judged others mercilessly. I’ve experienced God’s discipline again and again for judging others unnecessarily and mercilessly. God hates us when we judge others with a self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude. The general rule when it comes to judging others is this — DO NOT JUDGE. But that’s not all that the Bible has to say. There is a need to judge sometimes and the Word of God gives us guidelines on how to judge and above all, we have Jesus’ example to follow. Let us learn.
Judge with God
Listen to the words of Christ:
John 8:15–16 You people judge by outward appearances; I do not judge anyone. 16 But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate, because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent me do so together. [NET2]
Jesus first says that He does not judge. But Jesus goes on to say that He judges accurately — with the Father, not alone. That is the key to judging others in a godly way. Is God with you when you judge someone? Are you judging that person with God’s authority and approval? Are you doing it for the benefit of that person? Are you willing to confront that person and help him? Or are you judging him in your heart just to put him or her down and make yourself feel better?
John 8:28–30 Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him.” 30 While he was saying these things, many people believed in him. [NET2]
In all matters of life, especially while judging others, we must seek to please God always. Whenever we think about evaluating others, we must first consider if it is pleasing to God and helpful to that person or not. Question yourself if God is with you in this and whether He wants you to really do it. Many a times, we find fault with someone out of jealousy or hatred or in an impulsive manner — passing judgment in a superficial and pharisaic manner. If we consider all these things carefully and patiently, even at an early stage, most of our unnecessary sinful, judgmental thoughts will be filtered out.
Judge not by appearance
If you are convinced that the matter in hand has to be judged and that you have to take action and that you’re judging for God’s Glory and for the benefit of the other person, there’s more to consider.
John 7:22–24 However, because Moses gave you the practice of circumcision (not that it came from Moses, but from the forefathers), you circumcise a male child on the Sabbath. 23 But if a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken, why are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to external appearance, but judge with proper judgment.” [NET2]
We must check if we are we unbiased in our judgment. It happens often that we judge someone in haste and later discover the real circumstances in which that person acted the way he or she did. We are not called to judge with half-knowledge or when we are short of true information. All such judgment will cause unnecessary problems.
Proverbs 18:17 The first to state his case seems right, until his opponent begins to cross-examine him. [NET2]
Proverbs 25:8 Do not go out hastily to litigation, or what will you do afterward when your neighbor puts you to shame? [NET2]
Your perspective will always be right in your own eyes. Until you get a better perspective, it is always best to refrain from judgment. And if you don’t have enough information, you should question if God really wants you to judge that matter nor not.
Judge yourself
If you’ve got all evidence and want to proceed with your judgment, pause and judge yourself first.
John 8:1–8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say?” 6 (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against him.) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight and replied, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. [NET2]
The Pharisees weren’t judging by appearance. They had evidence (v3). They were convinced that they were judging with God — Moses’ written law, which is God’s Word, gave them the authority to judge and stone adulterers (v5). But Jesus confronted them and challenged them to judge themselves first. And we all know what happened.
John 8:9–11 Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”]] [NET2]
When we judge ourselves, examine our lives, our motives, our failures and our need for mercy, we will not judge others harshly and impulsively. Imagine Jesus confronting you in defense of the person you are about to judge — and asking you about your sins. What will you say? Will you say that you are pure and worthy to judge the other person? No way! So, if we find Jesus confronting our own weaknesses and convicting us, how then shall we judge?
Judge with mercy and corrective action
When confronted with the woman caught in adultery, Jesus was the only one eligible to throw a stone at her or even call fire from Heaven and consume her. Instead Jesus said,
John 8:11 “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” [NET2]
Jesus confronted sinners and offenders with forgiveness first and correction next. But we often confront with judgment first and condemnation next. Jesus sets an example for us in showing mercy.
Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. [NET2]
Matthew 12:1–8 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. 2 But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry — 4 how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” [NET2]
Judgement without mercy puts you on the same plane of condemnation as the Pharisees
Matthew 23:23–24 “Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law — justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! [NET2]
James 2:12–13 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. 13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment. [NET2]
Let try to summarize the words of Christ and His example:
- Jesus did not judge.
- Even if He had to judge, he passed judgment with the Father and not alone. He sought to please His Father even when judging others.
- Jesus did not judge by appearances. His judgement was unbiased and He took all factors into consideration.
- Jesus asks us to judge ourselves before passing judgment on others.
- Jesus judged with mercy.
I must confess that I have a bad habit of quickly judging others in my heart. With God’s help, as I’ve been meditating on the above principles, I’ve seen a lot of change in my heart in this area of my life — And I pray that you too would be encouraged in your struggles.
